Red Dog (PG) ★ ★ ★ ★

Reviewed by Cameron Williams

A stray kelpie-cattle dog cross, wanders into the mining town of Dampier in WA in the ‘70s. Soon, it becomes the official mascot of the community and changes the lives of everyone.

Loosely based on a true story, “Red Dog” captures the spirit of a small mining community. Essentially, it’s a microcosm for the entire country and everything that’s great about Australia.

Director Kriv Stenders covers themes of multiculturalism, mateship, love and loss. He does a great job of establishing lovable characters and letting their stories play out while pushing the story forward.

Each frame is dripping with beautiful scenery from locations across WA, shot brilliantly by cinematographer Geoffrey Hall. The performances are all excellent and are never overplayed.

“Red Dog” is a film every Australian should see. It showcases the importance of community and the ways we bond together to get through good and hard times.